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The Police Didn’t Read Me My Rights

The police didn’t read me my rights. Will I get some benefit out of that?

Sometimes, but usually not. Here’s why: if an officer arrests you and interrogates you, he’s supposed to read you your rights. But the officers understand this law. So they interrogate you before they arrest you. That way they don’t put you on your guard by reading you your rights.

After they arrest you, they might talk to you about the weather, about how your favorite football team is doing, or whatever, but they’re allowed to do that. That isn’t interrogation. Those questions aren’t calculated to get an answer that will incriminate you. The officer is talking to you either to calm you down or, more likely, to get more evidence of slurred or mumbled speech.